At June 2012, the estimated resident population of the Northern Territory (NT) was 234,800 people, which represented 1.0% of the total Australian population. The population increased by 3,500 people since June 2011. The NT's growth rate for 2011-12 was 1.5%, which was slightly lower than the national figure of 1.6%.

At June 2012, the population of Greater Darwin was 131,700 people, which accounted for 56% of the NT's total population. In 2011-12, the population of Greater Darwin increased by 2,600 people or 2.0%, the second fastest growth of all the capital cities, behind Greater Perth (3.6%).

Greater Darwin consists of the SA3s of Darwin City, Darwin Suburbs, Litchfield and Palmerston. In the year to 2012, Palmerston recorded the largest growth (1,200 people) of these SA3s, to reach 30,400. Within Palmerston, the largest growth was in the SA2s of Rosebery - Bellamack (up 380 people) and Palmerston - South (220), both of which contain newly-developed suburbs.

The Darwin Suburbs SA3, which is a mixture of residential and commercial/industrial land, increased by 720 people in 2011-12. The SA2 of Lyons (on the northern fringe of Greater Darwin) recorded the largest and fastest population increase (130 people or 6.3%). Berrimah followed with an increase of 80 people or 3.0%.

Litchfield's population at June 2012 was 20,000 people, an increase of 380 since June 2011. This SA3, which is predominately a rural residential area, is located on the outskirts of Darwin and Palmerston. The largest growth was in the SA2 of Humpty Doo (up 130 people), followed by Virginia and Howard Springs (both 100).

The population of the SA3 of Darwin City grew by 290 people to 25,200 in 2011-12. The fastest-growing SA2s in Darwin City were Parap (up 3.7%), Fannie Bay - The Gardens (2.1%), and Woolner - Bayview - Winnellie (which contains a mixture of residential and commercial/industrial areas) and Darwin City (both 1.6%).

In the 12 months to June 2012, the remainder of the NT experienced smaller population growth than Greater Darwin, increasing by 890 to 103,200 people.

All SA3s within the remainder of the NT increased in population in 2011-12. The SA3 of Katherine, in the Lower Top End, recorded the largest growth (up 350 people), followed by neighbouring Daly - Tiwi - West Arnhem (210), and Alice Springs (180) which covers the southern half of the territory.

The SA2s within the remainder of the NT that grew the fastest were Katherine (up 2.5%), Thamarrurr (2.1%) on the south-west coast of the Top End, and West Arnhem (1.7%). Katherine also had the largest population increase (up 260 people) of all SA2s outside of Greater Darwin.

Five SA2s in the remainder of the NT decreased in population between 2011 and 2012, with the largest decline in Nhulunbuy (down 60 people). This was followed by Flynn (down 50 people) and Mount Johns (down 30), both in Alice Springs.

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